Can Tom Cruise Save Summer Box Office?
Despite disappointing releases like Flash and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the summer domestic box office is currently 6% behind last year’s numbers. However, all eyes are now on the highly acclaimed Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, which is expected to have a global 5-day record-breaking opening of $250M. This new installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise is not just generating buzz for its stellar 98% Rotten Tomatoes score, but also because of the anticipated Top Gun: Maverick halo effect. While Mission: Impossible films typically attract older male audiences, Top Gun: Maverick managed to bring in a diverse and younger crowd. In fact, during testing of Dead Reckoning, it was discovered that some patrons under 25 had never seen a Mission movie before.
This latest Mission: Impossible film marks Tom Cruise’s fourth collaboration with Oscar-winning filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie. Previews for the film will begin on Tuesday night with a wide release on Wednesday across 4,300 locations. It’s worth noting that while the film’s runtime of 2 hours and 43 minutes may limit the number of showtimes during the day, Cruise’s movies tend to perform better in the long run as they are backloaded, with a significant portion of the domestic gross coming in after the first weekend.
Dead Reckoning had a reported net budget of $291M and faced numerous challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic, including production delays in Italy. However, strong presales for the film indicate that it may outperform the older-skewing Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. With a worldwide start expected to exceed $250M, Tom Cruise could once again break box office records for his career.
Fans and moviegoers in several countries have eagerly awaited the release of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning. The film officially starts in France on Wednesday, followed by releases in the UK, Italy, Australia, and Korea. China’s release date is set for Friday. Cruise’s extensive promotion of the film further demonstrates his commitment to the big-screen experience and the importance of overseas markets. The Dead Reckoning tour began in Rome with a world premiere event on the Spanish Steps, followed by premieres in London and Abu Dhabi. Australia’s premiere coincided with Cruise’s 61st birthday celebration. The team will continue to promote the film with a premiere in Japan.
With such anticipation and global promotion, it remains to be seen if Tom Cruise can revive the summer box office and bring audiences back to theaters after a challenging year. However, early indicators suggest that Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning is well-positioned to deliver a much-needed boost to the industry.
